Gold-washer



W. BALL.

Ore Amalgamator.

Patented Jun 19, 1849.

AM- PHOTU-L ITHO. 60. N.(. (OQBORNE'S PROCESS) WILLIAM BALL, OFOHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

GOLD-WASHER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 6,535, dated June 19, 1849.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAu BALL, of Chicopee, in the county of Hampdenand State of Massachusetts, and invented a new and useful Machine .forSeparating Gold from the Ore or Extraneous Matters by Means of Mercuryand ater; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described andrepresented in the following specification and accompanying drawings,letters, figures, and references thereof.

Of the said drawings Figure 1, denotes a side elevation of my machine.Fig. 2, a central longitudinal and vertical section of it, and Fig. 3, atop view of it.

A, in the said drawings represents a circular cistern or vessel, thebottom of which is made concave or inclining from the circumference orsides toward the central part of it. Within and across the said cistern,and just above the bottom of it, a horizontal partition or plate B, isfixed, the said plate being punctured with numerous holes a, a. From themiddle part of said plate a hollow tube or shaft C, extends verticallyupward, and has a tunnel or bell mouth vessel D, afiixed on its upperend. A pivot b, is projected from the central part of the underside ofthe vessel or cistern A, and rests on a step or bearing 0, made in orupon the bed beam 65, of a supporting frame E. The upper part of theshaft C, is sustained by an arm 6, of the frame E, and so as to turn orrotate in a suitable bearing made in or upon the said arm. At a shortdistance below the top of the vessel D, a strainer plate, or wire sieveG is made to extend within and across the vessel, and to support theupper end of a tube H, which is made to extend down through the middlepart of the tube or hollow shaft C, and nearly to the bottom thereof asseen in Fig. 2. A small tunnel I, is attached to the upper end of thetube H, extends above the strainer plate G, opens into the tube H andhas several openings 7", f, 620., made through its sides, just above thebottom orifice or opening into the tube H. The object of the tube H, isto V revent packing of the auriferous earth wit in the tube C, in thecolumn of water which flows down through it will undermine the packingshould it ever take place. The lower end of the upright hollow shaft 0,opens into the space below the plate B. The diffusion of water andseveral streams on the mass of earth in the sieve G, serves to preventpacking of the earth in or below said plate.

The circular vessel A, is surrounded by a circular rim K, whose uppersurface is formed into two concentric shallow grooves L, M, and aconcentric and deeper groove or channel N, all of which are arrangedwith respect to each other and the vessel A, as seen in the drawings. Apassage of communication it, is made from the outer groove or channel N,into the vessel A, the same be ing seen in Fig. 2. There is also adischarge passage 2', made through the bottom of the vessel A, andopening out of the central part thereof; the said passage while themachine is in operation being kept closed by a cork or plug inserted init.

A rope or strap of leather 0, is fastened at its middle to the uprightpost 76, of the frame E, the two ends of the rope being respectivelyfastened to the two opposite sides of the outer rim of the Vessel A, thestrap being of such length as will permit the vessel to have areciprocating rotary motion imparted to it. The tension of strap servesto check or stop the mot-ion in either direction, and besides this to sosuddenly check the movement, as to facilitate the sifting of the orethrough the sieves or perforated plates. It also serves to agitate thesand on the surface of the vessel A, in order to keep it in a liquidstate, so that the little balls or particles \of mercury cut up andcarried off by the sand and water passing through the mercury in thebath may have a chance to settle and by friction against the mercurialrings be united to them and thereby returned to the main bath A. Ahandle S projects from the vessel A. In order to give to the Vessel theproper horizontal reciprocating movement, the operative takes hold ofthe handle S, and thereby moves or rotates the vessel, its shaft O, andbelt mouth D, back and forth in one direction, and next in the otheragainst the strap.

In the use of the machine the vessel or bath A, and the shallowconcentric grooves L, M, are to be filled or nearly filled with mercury.A stream of water is allowed to flow into the tunnel I, and thence notonly out of the lateral orifices f, f, but down the pipe H, and into thevessel A, thence upward through the mercury therein and over the top ofthe vessel, and over the concentric rings of mercury in the grooves L,M; thence over the groove N, and to escape over the edge of the rim K.The auriferous ore after being stamped or powdered to a fine powder ordust is strewn or thrown on the top of the sieve or perforated partition9, and in such manner that the streams of water flowing laterally out ofthe tunnel I, may fall or impinge directly upon it, and carry it downthroughthe perforated plate, andinto the hollow tube' or shaft 0, thenceinto and through the mercury and oVervthe rim K.

During the passage of the auriferous earth through the mercury thelatter abstracts the gold, or metallic portion of it. As more or lessmercury will naturally be washed out of the vessel A, by the force ofthe current of water, such portion which may so escape will be caught bythe concentric rings. of mercury, which as they enlarge beyond what thegrooves L, M, are capable of containing will throw off the surplus intothe surrounding channel N, that communicates directly with the vessel A,as before described. The auriferous earth is forced through the mercurybath by the superincumbent column or pressure of Water in the hollowshaft. The mercury or any deposit in the vessel A, may be removedthrough the pipe or passage leading out from the bottom of the same.

I claim 1. In combination with the mercury bath, a surrounding channelor groove N, made to communicate therewith by a passage h, and appliedso as to intercept the mercury which may be thrown out from the bath,whereby the mercury thrown out is again returned to the central cisternwithout intervention on the part of the operator.

2. And in combination with the elements above described I claim one ormore concentric mercurial rings arranged between it and the cistern orbath A; the same not be ing made to communicate with the main vessel orbath by any passage; the same being for the purpose of intercepting thesmall escaped particles of mercury, and retaining them until so washedby the water that they will coalesce with the mercury contained in saidring or rings.

3. And I claim the central tube H as well as its perforated waterdiffuser or tunnel I, in combination with the main hollow shaft, itsbell mouth vessel or top, and perforated partition or separator G; thewhole being made to diffuse and apply the water to the auriferous earthand mercury bath and prevent packing of it within the tube C essentiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my signature this tenth day ofApril A. D.

WM. BALL. Witnesses:

GEORGE WVALKER, AUG. L. SoULE.

